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04/05/2005: "Educational Reform"
Been thinking a lot lately about the ways in which educational reform is attempted and the various gatekeepers and players involved. I attended an event last Monday, where a series of professors and journalists were attempting to organize a challenge to Paul Vallas's construction plans.
Good idea, maybe it'll work, maybe it won't.
But what struck me were all the different people in the room who spend their time thinking about how to change education. Many of the panelists talked about how great it was that they got to see so many schools and the important role they play as pseudo-pundits, sharing their wisdom with those poor folks (teachers and administrators, the folks who actually spend time with kids) who don't have the same opportunities.
Along with the panelists- either professor types or consultant types- you had all the different community organizations, non-profits, and local consultants who work on public education here in Philly. A friend of mine described these groups as "shadow-districts," composed of folks who had retired or were ousted from the Philly system.
Then you had other random folks- Penn people, Temple people- most of whom earn their living thinking about schools in one way or another.
Not so many teachers though. Teachers don't have time for these events, don't have the energy, don't have the will to invest in another potential reform that may or may not pan out.
We allow a massive number of public intellectuals to shape our views of public education. If all the smart thoughtful people in that room invested ten years into teaching/working for public school districts, schools would function a whole lot better. I know that many have, some care so much about schools that they continue to fight for them after retiring from the district, but why do have so many folks talking about fundamental change, and so few folks doing the hard, day to day work within schools that can eventually lead to structural change.
To be continued (baby be cryin')